Ephrata man convicted on charges related to sexual abuse of teenager

LANCASTER COUNTY — An Ephrata man was recently convicted of all charges for sex abuse last year of a 15-year-old girl.

A Lancaster County jury returned a guilty verdict to three felonies and a misdemeanor regarding Dakota J. Sweigart’s conduct on April 28, 2017.

At the verdict, Lancaster County Judge Jeffery Wright raised Sweigart’s bail from unsecured to $100,000 cash. Sweigart, 20, was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs by deputy sheriffs.

Judge Wright will order sentence after a background check is completed.

Assistant District Attorney Karen Mansfield, who won the conviction, presented testimony from the victim and her relatives during the three-day trial.

The jury deliberated about three hours before deciding the case on Aug. 10.

In all, Sweigart was convicted of unlawful contact with a minor, aggravated indecent assault of a child, corruption of minors, and indecent assault of a child – charges filed by Ephrata police Detective Graeme Quinn.